Maldives army seals off parliament, arrests MPs

Independent Online Desk

Security forces in the Maldives have sealed off the country's parliament and arrested two opposition legislators amid a deepening crisis over a court ruling ordering the release of jailed politicians, reports Al Jazeera.

Soldiers in riot gear surrounded the parliament building in Male on Sunday soon after the opposition submitted a petition to the parliament's secretariat to remove the island nation's attorney general for failing to act on the Supreme Court's ruling.

The opposition has a majority in the 85-member house, as the top court also reinstated 12 members of parliament who were stripped of their seats last year.

The motion to remove Attorney General Mohamed Anil came hours after he accused the Supreme Court of trying to impeach President Abdulla Yameen.

"I have informed all law enforcement agencies they must not obey such an illegal order," he said in a televised appearance flanked by the chiefs of army and the police.

The army chief said the security forces would follow Anil's advice and "will not wait and watch as the Maldives goes into crisis".

Police, meanwhile, arrested two opposition members of parliament at the airport upon their arrival in Male, a spokesman told Al Jazeera.

Abdulla Sinan and Ilham Ahmed were among the 12 who were reinstated to the parliament by the Supreme Court.

The official who heads the parliament secretariat has also resigned.

"I have stepped down," Ahmed Mohamed told Al Jazeera, without elaborating on the cause of resignation.

Exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed, among the nine people whose "terrorism" conviction was overturned by judges on Thursday, called for protests and urged rank-and-file members of the security forces to arrest Anil, as well as the chiefs of the army and police.

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Maldives army seals off parliament, arrests MPs

Independent Online Desk

Security forces in the Maldives have sealed off the countrys parliament and arrested two opposition legislators amid a deepening crisis over a court ruling ordering the release of jailed politicians, reports Al Jazeera.
Soldiers in riot gear surrounded the parliament building in Male on Sunday soon after the opposition submitted a petition to the parliaments secretariat to remove the island nations attorney general for failing to act on the Supreme Courts ruling.
The opposition has a majority in the 85-member house, as the top court also reinstated 12 members of parliament who were stripped of their seats last year.
The motion to remove Attorney General Mohamed Anil came hours after he accused the Supreme Court of trying to impeach President Abdulla Yameen.
I have informed all law enforcement agencies they must not obey such an illegal order, he said in a televised appearance flanked by the chiefs of army and the police.
The army chief said the security forces would follow Anils advice and will not wait and watch as the Maldives goes into crisis.
Police, meanwhile, arrested two opposition members of parliament at the airport upon their arrival in Male, a spokesman told Al Jazeera.
Abdulla Sinan and Ilham Ahmed were among the 12 who were reinstated to the parliament by the Supreme Court.
The official who heads the parliament secretariat has also resigned.
I have stepped down, Ahmed Mohamed told Al Jazeera, without elaborating on the cause of resignation.
Exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed, among the nine people whose terrorism conviction was overturned by judges on Thursday, called for protests and urged rank-and-file members of the security forces to arrest Anil, as well as the chiefs of the army and police.
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